October 1 Protest: No Going Back, Organisers Insist🇳🇬
Nigeria will be 64 years old on Tuesday, the 1st of October, 2024. From a British colony, Nigeria has emerged as the most populous country in Africa, with enormous potential in natural and human resources. However, challenges persist, including riots, insecurity, and poverty. While there will be glamorous celebrations in our stadiums and halls to mark 64 years of independence and 25 years of unbroken democracy, some Nigerians will gather at specific locations to call out the government for perceived insensitivity and lack of political will to tackle insecurity, a failing economy, and poverty.
The protest will easily become the second of such in just two months, with citizens on the streets, showing displeasure with government policies and programmes.
Three major programmes have heightened pain and distress in the country:
- Petrol Price Hike: Within two years, we’ve gone from getting petrol for 165 Naira per litre to over 1,000 Naira—more than a 100% increase. This has affected the prices of basic commodities and services, dragging people further into poverty. Many can no longer travel to get their goods, as transportation is now for the rich. The poor farmer has to pay through the nose to get their crops to the market, while workers no longer have enough money to feed their families.
- Electricity Tariff: The sudden increase in electricity tariffs is negatively affecting businesses. A few months ago, 1,000 Naira could get you 18 kWh of electricity; now, that only gets you 4.4 kWh. Small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses are folding up. The pain is unbearable, and it’s easy to see why, instead of celebrating, some Nigerians will be protesting.
- Foreign Exchange: The foreign exchange crisis is another major issue at the forefront. A Naira to the dollar is now over 1,500 Naira, an unprecedented low. Raising capital to import materials for production is a serious concern, and even sourcing foreign exchange is not an easy issue.
My advice to those who will be protesting is to avoid destroying or vandalising public and private properties. For those who will be celebrating, I urge them not to lose sight of the need to build an egalitarian society, one that is good for all.
Yes, there are challenges, but fortunately, Nigeria’s challenges are not terminal. With the right diagnosis, solutions can be provided.
These issues—occasioned by the hike in petrol price, electricity tariff, and the floating of the Naira by President Bola Tinubu’s government—have worsened the situation in the country.
Ubong Usoro
